Method of covering elastic bands.



. 0. 761,129. PATBNTED MAY 31,1904, J. .& P. N. ASHWORTH.

METHOD OF COVERING ELASTIC BANDS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28. 1903. N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES J. 6; F. N. ASHWORTH.

, PATENTED MAY 31, 1904.

METHOD OF COVERING ELASTIC BANDS.

APPLIOATIOH FILED SEPT. 28. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. fi mum UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JOHN ASHVVORTH AND FRED METHOD OF covERme ELIASTVIC: BANDS.

I SPECIFICATION: forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 761,129, dated May 31, 1904.

I Application filed September 28, 1903. Serial No. 174,851. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN ASHWQRTH and FRED N. Asnwon'rn, citizens of the United States, residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Covering Elastic Bands, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved method of covering elastic bands with a fibrous covering, the object of the invention being to produce an elastic band which is provided with a soft fibrous covering so attachedto the elastic band that it will yield and will present a soft exterior surface, while at the same time entirely surrounding the elastic.

The invention consists in the improved method hereinafterfully described in the specification and set forth in the claims; and it consists in general in stretching an elastic hand between two retaining or feeding devices, then laying upon said hand between said retaining devices strands of fibrous material extending longitudinally of said elastic band, and finally binding said strands to said elastic band by a retaining-strand Wound tightly in a helical path around said fibrous strands between said retaining devices.

In the drawings we have illustrated a inachine which is the most practical form of which we are aware for securing in a simple manner the desired result.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an elastic band constructed in accordance with our invention, the elastic band being shown released from tension. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of an elastic band constructed in accordance with our invention, showing the same with the band stretched and the elastic under tension. .Fig. 3'is a longitudinalsection taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1'. Fig. 1' is a perspective view of a machine by means of which our improved method for covering elastic bands may be carried into practical operation. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

N. ASHWORTH, or SOMERVILLE, MASSA- cHUs TTs. I

I In the drawings, 5 is an elastic band of any of fibrous material Wound under tension tension and in the condition in which the same Patented May 31, 1904.

desirable construction. v

6 6 are strands of fibrous materialsuch as cotton, wool. or the like-extending longitudinally of the elastic band 5, and? is a strand around the elastic band 5 and the fibrous strands 6, said tension being sufficient to hold the fibrous strands 6, againstslipping upon the elastic band 5.

' In Fig. 2 the elastic band 5 is shown under appears when the covering is attached to the band;

When the tension on the band 5 is released, the same will contract, asshown in Figs. 1 and 3, and each of the fibrous strands 6 will form a series of loops 8, extending longitudinally of said elastic band, so that between each of the successive convolutions of said helical strand 7 there willbe a series of loops extending entirely around the periphery of the band 5 and making in the finished article a covering, which is firmly attached to the elastic band 5 and presents a soft, yielding, and pliable surface. If desired, the loops 8 may be of different colors and also instead of being laid straight lengthwise of the elastic band may be laid in a curved or helical path, and thus a large variety of styles and patterns may be obtained to suit the varying requirements of the trade.

In carrying our improved method into practi'cal operation We prefer to employ a machine such as that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, in which 9 10 are frame-standards of any desirable construction. 11 is a rotary shaft journaled at 12 12 in the frame-standards 9 and 10 and fast to a pulley 13, driven .by a belt 11 in the usual manner. The shaft 11 ha. slot 15 extending longitudinally thereof and transversely therethrough and has fastened thereto'at the right-hand end thereof a guidesleeve 16, said sleeve 16 rotating with the shaft 11. Another guide-sleeve 17 is provided, which is stationary and extends through the hollow shaft'll and is fast to a bracket 18, said bracket being rigidly fastened to th standard 9. is preferably fastened to the bracket 18.

At the left hand of the machine, Figs. 4 and 5, is a pair of rolls 20 20, and at the right-hand end of the machine another pair of rolls 21 21. Upon the pulley 13 is a series of" spindles 22 22, upon which .are journaled spools 23 23, from which the spiral strand 7, hereinbefore referred to, is obtained.

The operation of the machine hereinbefore described is as follows: The elastic band 5 of any desirable construction is fed between the rolls 2O 20, thence through the hollow sleeves 17 and 16, and between the feedrolls 21 21. The feed-rolls 21 21 are rotated at greater speed than the feed-rolls 2O 20, thus causing the elastic band to be continuously under tension or stretched from its natural condition. The fibrous strands 6 6 are laid upon the stretched portion of the band 5 longitudinally thereof intermediate the two sets of feed-rolls 2O and 21 21 by guiding ,the same through holes 24 24 in thev guidedisk 19. S idftrands extend from the holes 24 24 radially inward. toward the center of the disk 19 and pass through the interior of the guide-sleeves 17 16 and between the rolls 21 21, thus being laid lengthwise of the elastic band throughout its entire periphery. The strand 7 is fed from the spools 23 23 through guides 25, fast to the pulley 13, and is wound in a helical path around the strands 6 and around the band 5 between the adjacent ends of the sleeves 17 and 16, the'tension upon said strand 7 being sufficient to hold the fibrous-strands 6 firmly in contact with the elastic band 5. As the covered band passes beyond the rolls 21 21, the tension being released upon the elastic band, the finished elastic cord will assume its normal condition, and the fibrous strands 6' between the band and the fibrous strand 7 will throw out loops 8 8, as shown in Fig. 3. It is evident that, if clesirable, different colors of yarn may he used for thestrands 6 6 and also that spools may be placed upon the disk 19 in a similar manner to thatin which the spools 23 are attached to the pulley 13 and a slow rotary motion imparted to the disk 19, with the spools thus attached, the strands from the spool leading into the interior of the guide-sleeve 17 in the same manner as that shown in the drawings, Fig. 4, the result being that the strands 6 6 instead of being laid in straight lines along the length of the elastic band5 will be laid in lsliggtly curving or helical lines around said ban A guidc-disk 19 is provided and It is evident that the elastic band 5 hereinbefore described may be either a covered or an uncovered band when it first passes through the feed-rolls 20 20 and that the method hereinbefore described may be used in connection with an ordinary braiding or with an ordinary winding-machine,-in which case the rolls 21 21 would be the ordinary,

feed-rolls, by means of which tension is imparted to the elastic band of a braiding-machine, and the longitudinal strands 6 6 and helical strand 7 would be fed to the elastic band and applied thereto before said elastic band reaches the tension-rolls 21 21. It is also evident that the machine illustrated in Fig. 5 might be attached directly to and as an addition to a braiding-machine, in which case the rolls 20 would be the feed-rolls for the braid.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire by Letters Patent to secure, is

[A 1. The method of covering an elastic bandwith a soft fibrous. covering, consisting in stretching said band; then laying upon said band longitudinally thereof strands of fibrous material; and finally binding said strands to said elastic band by a retaining-strand wound tightly in a helical path around said fibrous strands.

2. The method of covering an elastic band with a soft fibrous covering, consisting, in stretchingsaid band; then laying upon said band, uponthc stretched portion and longitudinally thereof, strands of fibrous material,

and finally binding said strands to said elastic band by winding a retaining-strand under tension in a helical path around said fibrous strands and elastic band, upon the stretched portion of said elastic band.

3. The method of covering an elastic band with a soft. fibrous covering, consisting in stretching said band; then laying upon said band, upon the stretched portion and longitudinally thereof strands of fibrous material; and finally binding said strands to said elastic band by winding a retaining-strand under tension in a helical path around said fibrous strands. v

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JOHN ASHWORTH.

FRED N. ASHWORTH..

Witnesses:

CHARLES S. GrooDINe, ANNIE J. DAILEY. 

